In the thesis on a base of historical comparative analysis the process of evolution mass holidays in independent Ukraine is characterized; the conceptual notions of research ("holiday", "celebrating", "a mass holiday", "custom", "ceremony", "tradition" etc.) is specified; the complex analysis of basic pagan holidays of Ukrainians is made; the features of influence of Christianization on evolution of ceremony sphere of Ukraine are revealed; historical evolution of mass holidays of Ukrainians from christian up to Soviet is retraced; the experience of mass holidays in Ukraine in the Soviet time is generalized; the evolution of the contents and form of mass holidays in Ukraine within independence is analysed. The mass holiday is the specialized art activity, which unites the large mass of the population, providing distribution of spiritual - cultural values, their active creative mastering by the people in the sphere of leisure. In the thesis is emphasized, that having tested influences of a Christianity,the East-Slav pagan world has passed in the development two stages: 1) the creation of official politicized Christian culture; 2) the creation of Christian culture in its individual measurement, which provides a high degree of symbolization of all circle of vital values. The essence of evolution of pagan holidays under influence of Christianization is, that the consequences of Christianization of Ukraine in this sphere are characterized by coexistence of church (Christian) and national (pagan) holidays and ceremonies. The pagan ceremonies lose the semantic importance and continue to exist within the framework of official Christian ceremonial rites only as an entertaining element. In the Soviet times schedule both disappear of church customs and rituals and calendar ceremonies as a whole occurred in connection with process of revolutionary transformation of the material and welfare foundations of a life, compulsory mass excommunication of the population from religious norms. Gradually the quantity of the standard religious - household holidays was reduced, the ritual of their celebrating became simpler, the numerous interdictions and restrictions were forgotten. The increase of the atheist tendencies concerning the Soviet authority to religious - ceremonial life of the Ukrainian community was finished in the Soviet epoch by an interdiction religious, destruction of national and attempts of cultivating of the Soviet holidays and rituals. For evolution of the contents and form of mass holidays within independence is characteristic: revival of religious holidays and ceremonies, transformation of holidays and ceremonies, begun in the Soviet times, occurrence of new holidays and rituals. The evolution of traditional national holidays in independent Ukraine sees in the following. First, they were begun to mark at a state level, open, not being hidden, as earlier, and officially - in appropriate scale. It automatically has caused increase of quantity of the participants and expansion of an audience. Secondly, extremely active role in their realization began to play church, and not only Christian confessions. Thirdly, the economic force, however it is the result by an obvious image of western influence has joined. Fourth, celebrating of holidays, in particular such, as Christmas Христово, Easter etc., became the important attribute of system of education, at which students and the schoolboys not only receive knowledge of this or that celebratory ceremony, but personally take in them participation, that promotes them socialization, spiritual development etc. The holidays and ceremonies, arisen in the Soviet time, are transformed nowadays in different directions depending on a public situation: economic, political, educational etc. Despite of occurrence in independent Ukraine of new holidays (Day of Independence, the Day of Saint Valentine, Day of the Europe), it is possible to speak only about formation of system of mass holidays in Ukraine. At the same time the new holidays have got of the new social functions and political importance, are more known to wide layers of the population.
